Weigela plant named ‘Bokrasopin’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Weigela  plant named ‘Bokrasopin’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and repeat-flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Weigela hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BOKRASOPIN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Weigela plant, botanically known as Weigela hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bokrasopin’.

The new Weigela plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact and repeat-flowering Weigela plants with attractive leaf and flower colors.

The new Weigela plant originated from a cross-pollination during the summer of 2000 of a proprietary selection of Weigela hybrida identified as code number 93118, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selection of Weigela hybrida, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Weigela plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in June, 2007 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Weigela plant by softwood cuttings in Boskoop, The Netherlands since the summer of 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Weigela plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Weigela have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bokrasopin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bokrasopin’ as a new and distinct Weigela plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading         plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely and repeat-flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela and the female parent selection         differ in flower bud and flower color as plants of the female         parent selection have red-colored flower buds and flowers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela are more uniform than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have dark pink-colored flower buds and flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Weigela have a repeat-flowering habit         whereas plants of the male parent selection do not have a         repeat-flowering habit.

Plants of the new Weigela can be compared to plants of the Weigela florida ‘Polka’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differed primarily from plants of ‘Polka’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela and ‘Polka’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Polka’ had pink-colored flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela had a repeat-flowering habit         whereas plants of ‘Polka’ did not have a repeat-flowering habit.

Plants of the new Weigela can also be compared to plants of the Weigela hybrida ‘Féerie’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Weigela differed primarily from plants of ‘Féerie’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Weigela were more compact than plants of         ‘Féerie’.     -   2. Plants of the new Weigela and ‘Féerie’ differed in flower         color as plants of ‘Féerie’ had pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Weigela plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Weigela plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical vegetative plant of ‘Bokrasopin’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bokrasopin’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in one-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under commercial production practices. Plants were three years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Weigela hybrida ‘Bokrasopin’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Weigela             hybrida identified as code number 93118, not patented.         -   Male or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Weigela             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one month at temperatures of             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at             temperatures of 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; greyish brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; relatively compact,             upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; moderately             vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy plant             form.         -   Plant height.—About 200 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 300 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 194C overlain with close to 46A.         -   Color, fully developed.—Close to 199B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate, tapering.         -   Margin.—Serrulate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 157A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 157A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 157A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             terminal and axillary clusters of two to six flowers;             flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Weigela flower             repeatedly from late May to mid-June, flower intermittently             during the summer and repeatedly in September to October in             Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Color: Close to 60A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Salverform; four to five petals fused             into a tube with separate petal lobes. Petal lobe length:             About 1.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1 cm. Petal lobe             shape: Oblong. Petal lobe apex: Obtuse. Petal lobe margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Lobe, close to 64A to 64C. Fully opened, upper surface:             Lobe, close to 66C; throat, close to 61B; color becoming             closer to 66D with development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Lobe, close to 64C; tube, close to 64C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl, fused;             campanulate calyx. Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 183B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement: Five             per flower. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther length:             About 5 mm. Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity:             One per flower. Pistil length: About 3.5 cm. Style length:             About 3.3 cm. Style color: Close to 155D. Stigma color:             Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 144D. Seeds and fruits:             Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants             of the new Weigela. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Weigela have exhibited good     tolerance to rain, wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about −25° C. to about 33° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Weigela have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Weigela     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Weigela plant named ‘Bokrasopin’ as illustrated and described. 